A central issue in the use of rapid evaluation and assessment methods (REAM) is achieving a balance between speed and trustworthiness. In this article, the authors review the key differences and common features of this family of methods and present a case example that illustrates how evaluators can use rapid evaluation techniques in their own…

This paper introduces a concept of differentiability for functions in several variables which has a very natural definition and shares all the properties one expects of a notion of differentiability, but is shown to be weaker than the usual concept of differentiability defined as local linearizability. The exact connection between the two…

Students bring prior knowledge to their learning experiences. This prior knowledge is known to affect how students encode and later retrieve new information learned. Teachers and content developers can use information about students' prior knowledge to create more effective lessons and materials. In many content areas, particularly the sciences,…

This paper describes a methodology for harvesting knowledge within a professional development workshop in a large organization. Knowledge harvesting is a process aimed to (1) document every possible contribution of every participant and (2) arrange that documentation into an indexed summarized representation. The product of knowledge harvesting…

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of text mapping as a strategy for improving the reading comprehension skills, of four high school students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in a self-contained freshman technical language arts classroom. Using a multiple baseline design across participants, each student received…

This article explores the role of publication in taking forward the work of the doctorate. Low publication rates from doctoral degrees have been noted as a problem in the quality of doctoral education for preparing students to participate in research cultures. At the same time there is ambivalence and some resistance among doctoral supervisors and…

A random sample of parents fostering children with disabilities in a major Canadian city was asked "what are the rewards you receive from fostering a child with a disability?" A total of 57 unique responses were obtained and grouped together by the foster parents. Two statistical analyses were applied to the grouping data:…

We investigated the associations between Boston naming and the animal fluency tests and cortical atrophy in 19 probable AD and 5 multiple domain amnestic mild cognitive impairment patients who later converted to AD. We applied a surface-based computational anatomy technique to MRI scans of the brain and then used linear regression models to detect…

As part of a campus-wide, externally funded project to increase performance in, enthusiasm for, and retention within STEM disciplines, we developed an interdisciplinary, team-taught first-year seminar course. The construction and delivery of this course was designed to show the relevance of selected general chemistry topics such as matter and…

This paper demonstrates a new application of cluster analysis to segment business school students according to their degree of satisfaction with various aspects of the academic program. The resulting clusters provide additional insight into drivers of student satisfaction that are not evident from analysis of the responses of the student body as a…

This article considers the problematic nature of primary headship. It reviews evidence of some of the most significant problems encountered by new and experienced heads derived from two sources: the UK dimension of a European questionnaire survey undertaken in the mid 1990s and more recent reports gained from interviews with serving school…

This research is concerned with preservice teacher understanding of six earth and space science concepts that are often taught in elementary school: the reason for seasons, phases of the moon, why the wind blows, the rock cycle, soil formation, and earthquakes. Specifically, this study examines the effect of readings, hands-on learning stations,…

This study explored the effectiveness of an inquiry-based cellulase laboratory unit in promoting inquiry in undergraduate students in biotechnology. The following tools were used to assess the students' achievements and attitude: conceptual understanding test, concept mapping, students' documents, CLES questionnaire, students' self reflection, and…

In response to the demand for sound science assessments, this article presents the development of a latent construct called knowledge integration as an effective measure of science inquiry. Knowledge integration assessments ask students to link, distinguish, evaluate, and organize their ideas about complex scientific topics. The article focuses on…

Creativity, which has now entered the discourse in higher education alongside other agenda items such as enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovation, is an elusive and complex notion. It may evade the sort of definition, categorisation and compartmentalisation required to integrate it fully into the curriculum frameworks and assessment regimes…